MPD Allows Operator to Safely and Efficiently Drill Challenging Wells In Kobes (Montney Formation) in British Columbia

Abstract Interest in the unconventional shale gas plays continues to grow in Western Canada. The Montney formation found in North Eastern British Columbia can be particularly challenging due to drilling in the Canadian Foothills. Wells in the area are known for deep, hard, abrasive and abnormally pressured formations. Further challenges include unexpected fractures, lost circulation and coals seams. The combination of these drilling issues can cause a significant increase in expected drilling times (slow ROP and NPT). Following some difficulty drilling offset wells due to well control issues, future designs incorporated a higher, more conservative mud weight. This let to slower ROP and corresponding NPT. A new approach with MPD and lighter mud weight was proposed. For the intermediate sections, the first well changed from a weighted to un-weighted invert emulsion. The second well was drilled with a pure base oil system to lower the fluids solids content. The horizontal section was initially planned to drill with a density of 1400kg/m3 weighted invert. A MPD program was proposed drilling with a 1250kg/m3 weighted invert for the next two wells and adjusting backpressure to match the required bottom hole ECD. The key operational objectives for the operator were increased ROP and a reduction of NPT. This was accomplished by lower ECD associated with lower mud densities, lower drilled solids and lower viscosities. A secondary benefit was the reduction of whole mud losses. Mud losses were reduced in manner that allowed for fast safe well control in the event a pressured fracture (kick) was encountered. A reduction of more than 7.4 days vs AFE from spud to rig release was largely attributed to utilizing MPD technique and the team work of everyone involved on location. NPT was reduced from 100 hours to 8 hours on the final well of the project. The second MPD well of the project was considered a big success, with the following results (refer table 1). Table 1 MPD2 vs Best Conventional well Performance Data Intermediate Hole Performance Main Hole Performance MPD#2 Well Best Conventional Well MPD#2 Well Best Conventional Well Bit Runs 3 4 3 8 Depth Length (m) 918 880 3080 2368 Time (hr) 41 77.5 243.75 290.3 ROP (m/hr) 26.5 11.55 11.3 8.025 As the activity in NE British Colombia's Montney play continues to grow, it is important that other operators learn the benefits of utilizing MPD. This includes safely decreasing days on the well by increasing ROP and reducing influx and losse related NPT caused by excessive mud weight.</jats:p

Chemical modification of olive pomace by various esters and silane

International audienceThe olive pomace was modified chemically to improve the interface between the polymer matrix and the cellulosic fillers. The modification was done using various ester types having the same nature, however, with different chain lengths and one silane. Before the surface treatment, the olive pomace was extracted with acetone to remove contaminants on the surface, using Soxhlet apparatus. The transesterification of olive pomace with the different ester components, i.e., vinyl acetate, vinyl propanoate, and vinyl butanoate, and the condensation reaction with dichlorodimethylsilane was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Moreover, the treatment of olive pomace with vinyl acetate improves the thermal stability and the sample records higher onset temperature of degradation as measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results obtained indicated also that the reaction between the hydroxyl groups of waste flour and the acetyl, propionyl, pivalyl, and silane groups have occurred. The modified wood flours exhibited a decrease in the hydrophilicity as supported by the lower moisture content

Effect of the Free Quenching on Mechanical and Thermomechanical Properties of ABS

International audienceThe purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of thermal annealing and quenching on mechanical, and thermomechanical properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The free quenching was applied over a temperature range starting from a temperature slightly above Tg to temperatures below 0°C. The improvement of the impact strength is linked to the cavitation of the rubber particles close to the samples surface. The existence of a relaxation mode located around–10°C may participate to the relaxation of the residual stresses when the sample is quenched under 0°C, this phenomenon would promote cavitation

Effect of compatibilizing agents on the mechanical properties of high-density polyethylene/olive husk flour composites

International audienceThe main objective of this research was to investigate the effect on the thermal and mechanical properties of the addition of two different compatibilizing agents, malefic anhydride-grafted polyethylene (PE) [synthesized in a solution state (MAPE) and commercial (XA255)], to olive husk flour, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites. The composites contain 30 wt % of olive husk flour and a variable proportion of compatibilizer (3, 5, and 7 wt %). The grafting reaction was followed by Fourier transform infrared, and the grafting degree was evaluated by means of titration. The effect of grafting on the thermal properties of MAPE was observed by ATG/DTG. The mechanical and thermal properties of the composite were investigated. A morphological study of the composite reveals that there is a positive effect of compatibilizing agent on interfacial bonding

Hydrothermal ageing of alfa fiber reinforced polyvinylchloride composites

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Synthesis and characterization of rubbery epoxy/organoclay hectorite nanocomposites

International audienceThe present research investigates the morphology, the mechanical, and the viscoelastic properties of rubbery epoxy/clay nanocomposites synthesized by in situ polymerisation of a prepolymer diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A crosslinked with an aliphatic diamine based on a polyoxypropylene backbone. The inorganic phase was hectorite, exchanged with octadecylammonium ions in order to give organophilic properties to the phyllosilicate. An ultrasonicator was used to disperse the silicate clay layer into epoxy-amine matrix. The morphology of epoxy-hectorite nanocomposites examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that mixed delamination or intercalation or microdispersion could occur depending on type of organoclay. Moreover, the mechanical and viscoelastic properties were found to be improved with only the treated hectorite

Hydrothermal ageing of alfa fiber reinforced polyvinylchloride composites

International audienc

Hydrothermal ageing of alfa fiber reinforced polyvinylchloride composites

International audienc